Chain coupling



, M. J FRAMBACH.

CHAIN COUPLING.

APPLICATION HLED JUNE 17, 1921. 1,405,830. Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

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INVEFTTOR Md. FRRMBACH 1%, m wm ATTORNEY M. .l. FRAMBACH. CHAIN COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1921.

1 ,405,830. Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

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INVENTOR Mdfmmsrm A wfligmvfl HTTORN EY UNITED STATES MATHEW J. FRAMBACH, OF HARTLEY, IOWA.

CHAIN COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

Application filed June 17, 1921. Serial No. 478,302.

To all whom it mwy concern:

Be it known that I, MATHEW J. FRAMBACI-I, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartley, in the county of OBrien and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chain Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and,u'se the same. a

The present invention relates to coupling devices for chains, and aims to provide a novel and improved device of that kind, which is simple and inexpensive in construction, and also practical and efficient in use.

Another object is the provision of a chain coupler which will facilitate the pulling or drawing of the chain terminals together, and which has effective means for retaining the coupler in place, and preventing the accidental disconnection of the chain terminals or elements.

A further object is the provision of such a coupler of novel construction having means to pivotally engage a terminal link to serve as a lever to engage through an opposite terminal linkfor pulling the chain terminals or elements together, and also having novel means to engage a link for holding the couler in closed position.

A still further object is such a coupler formed from a. length of wire or other material, and of novel formation, to render it especially useful for the intended purposes.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be understood as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, it being'understood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fi ure 1 is a side elevation showing the coup er in closed position as used on a tire chain.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

ig. 4 is a plan view showing the coupler in open position ready to be operated as a lever for pulling the chain terminals or elements together.

-May 7, 1921, Serial No. 4:67,

and latch 17. the provision of Fig. 5 is a side'elevation of a modified form of coupler for use with another type of chain. V

Fig. 6 is an edge or plan view thereof.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the modified coupler itself.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2,3 and 4, the coupler is used with a tire chain of closed in my copending a plication filed 80, only a portion of which is shown in the accompanying drawings, including the side connecting links 10 and 10 which are connected by the links 11, and the cross chains 12 are'connected to the links 10 of the two sets to ex tend across the tire. The coupler 14 is connected to the end link 10 to engage the end links 13 of the two terminals of the chain.

The coupler 14 is bent from a length of stout resilient wire or other material, and has the longitudinal portion 15, with a pivot loop 16 at one end of the portion 15 extending laterally to one side. A spring latch 17 constituting one terminal portion of the wire, extends from the loop 16 along and adjacent to the portion 15, with the loop 16 connecting the portion 15 and latch 17 at one end of the coupler and extending laterally to one side in substantially the plane of the corresponding end portions of the portion 15 The loop 16 engages around one end of the link 10, for the swinging movement of the coupler to open and closed positions.

The portion or member 15 is provided at its other end with a an angle toward the same side that the loop 16 extends,'said loop and finger 18 pro ecting in substantially the same direction laterally from the member 15. The finger 18 the kind disfinger 18 extending at is bent back into va'hook'19 disposed in a plane'substantially at right angles with the member 15. The terminal of the latch 17 extends within the hook, to bear against the bill thereof, and the end of the latch is preferably cut or formed,as at 20, to bear against the bill of the hook. The latch 17 is resilient and presses by spring tension against the hook.

In using the coupler for connecting the terminals or elements of the chain, one of the links 13 is engaged over the hook 1i? and finger 18, with the coupler in open position, as seen in Fig. 4:, thus providing a temporary or initial connection of the links. The couler is then swung as a lever toward the link 11, the link 13 sliding on the coupler toward the loop 16, and the member 15 and latch 17 of the coupler assuming a position at one side of the link 10, asseen in Fig. 2. The link 13 which engages the coupler comes to rest and seats a ainst the loop 16, and the hook 19 is readily moved over and then en gaged across the link 11, the latch l7 snapping across the portions of the link 11, to

hold the hook 19 in engagement with said link. This will hold the chain terminals together without danger of accidental disconnection, and the coupler is disposed at one side of the links in a convenient position. Thus, the loop 16 and hook 19 extending to one side, provide for the engagement of the coupler with the respective links, with the member 15 and latch 17 of the coupler located at the side of the chain. There is little strain on the coupler, aside from the strain on'the' loop 16, which serves to connect the links 10 and 13. To disconnect the links, the link 11 and hook 19 are disengaged said member, with a loop 16 connecting said member and latch at one end of the coupler.

The loop 16, however, is disposedina different plane than the plane of the corresponding end portions of the member 15 and latch 17, such planes being disposed at an acute angle with one another, as evidentby'refen ence to 'Fig. 6. The loop 16 thus forms a a hook between such loop and member 15 and latch 17 in which the link 13 can seat when the coupler is closed. The member 15 has the finger 18. extending to the same side as the loop' 16 extends, and said finger has the hook 19' to engage one of the links 11'. The hook 19' engages the corresponding linkll, and the terminal 20 of the spring latch 17 bears against the bill of the hook to retain the hook in engagement with the link 11."

The loop 16' engages the terminal eye or loop 11 of tlie'terminal link 11, for the iswin ing movement of the coupler, and when a lin 13 is engaged over the coupler and the coupler swung to closed position, the link 13 will slide along the coupler" and seat in the hook formed by the bent back loop 16. The loop 16 transmits the strain be tween the links 11 and 13, and, as in the first-described form, the strain on the chain will tend to swing the coupler away from the chain, thereby holding the bend or bightot the hook against the link which said hook engages. The hook is thus heldtightly against the link, and such hook also resists the opening movementof the coupler under the strain. In the modified'form, the memdispose d at one side of the chain. 7

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A chain coupler bent from wire or similar material comprising a member, a loop at one end ofcsaid member to pivotally enber 15 and latch 17 of the coupler are also gage a link, a hook at the other end of said member to engage a link'for holdingv the coupler in closed position, and'a latch extending from said loop and cooperablewith thehook for holding it on the corresponding link. i i r e 2. A chain coupler bent from wire or simber, a loop at one end of said member extend ing to one side thereofto pivotally engage a link, a finger extending fromsaid member at the other end to the same side and bent back to form a hook for engaging a link-to hold the coupler in closed'p'osition, and a spring latch extending from said loop along said 'memberand into the ho'okvwith its. terminal cooperating with the billof the hook to retain it onrthe corresponding link.

In testimony whereof I have signedmy name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, j 7

7 MATHEW J. FRAMBAOH. Witnesses: V I 7 i E. I RANDOLPH, a 1

ilar material comprising a'longitudinal meme,

F; R, PATCH. e r I 

